If you’re planning a visit to London with children, there are some nice books to introduce your kids to the town – together with fiction for all ages, kids’s information books and extra amongst my choose of the most effective children’ books about London.
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From image books for toddlers to adventures and mysteries bringing London to life for teenagers, tales revealing among the metropolis’s lengthy historical past or enjoyable introductions to the important thing landmarks, the large difficulty isn’t discovering nice kids’s books about London, it’s which of them to select.
The listing under isn’t exhaustive (there are SO many books set in London, for starters), however these are some nice methods for teenagers to get excited a few household metropolis break in London, some important studying to pack in hand baggage and extra inspiration for planning your journey.
You can discover extra concepts of children’ books about London in my Amazon lists as effectively
Books about London for toddlers and preschoolers
Even the littlest guests to London can discover some nice books too, together with image books and different preschool favourites. Some choices within the subsequent part may even work to learn to older preschoolers too.
Paddington’s London Story Treasury
While all of the Paddington Bear tales are set in London, this assortment of 4 favorite image books are a stunning introduction to the town for youthful readers.
Paddington’s London Story Treasury consists of Paddington on the Zoo, Paddington on the Palace, Paddington and the Marmalade Maze and Paddngton and the Grand Tour, with the same old adventures and heart-warming mishaps of everybody’s favorite bear from Darkest Peru.
Paddington followers may even love in Paddington’s Guide to London too
Charlie and Lola: We Completely Must Go to London
My daughter adored the entire Charlie and Lola collection when she was youthful, and We Completely Must Go to London is right for followers.
The e book sees Charlie and his little sister visiting London on a college journey, passing probably the most well-known sights, so little ones can observe alongside throughout their very own journey – there’s even an ‘extremely good London map’ as effectively.
Maisy goes to London
Another agency favorite of my daughter when she was younger, we learn all of the adventures of Maisy mouse, together with her first adventures within the capital.
Maisy goes to London has the same old vibrant photos and little ones can’t resist becoming a member of in with the ‘Honk Honk’ of noisy London horns as she spots Big Ben, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace and different sights. A beautiful introduction for toddlers following in Maisy’s pawprints.
The Queen’s Hat
Sometimes all it takes to have an journey is a single gust of wind… Take one very particular hat, one Queen and all of the Queen’s males, and also you’ve bought the recipe for an journey via London.
With a string of London landmarks, from London Zoo to Tower Bridge and Big Ben, the query is, the place will the Queen’s hat find yourself? The Queen’s Hat is aimed toward ages 3-5.
Pussy cat, pussy cat, the place have you ever been? I’ve been to London to go to the Queen
Updating the traditional nursery rhyme, Pussy Cat Pussy Cat Where Have you Been does certainly observe pussy cat – this time visiting the modern-day sights of London, together with the Shard and London Eye in addition to the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral and Nelson’s Column.
With its brilliant illustrations and easy rhymes, it’s nice to learn even to the littlest guests to London.
Madeline in London
If you’re questioning what Madeline, the archetypal Parisian storybook heroine, is doing in an inventory of children books about London, followers of the traditional tales may observe her adventures this aspect of the Channel.
After Pepito, who lived subsequent to Madeline and her associates in France, strikes to London, all of them determine to pay him a go to. Madeline in London is right for age 4-7.
Kids’ books about London
The beautiful tales are all set in London, together with among the metropolis’s main landmarks – good as a memento or to get children enthusiastic about their go to.
Harry Potter followers may even love monitoring down the areas from the books (and the flicks) throughout a go to to London: so lots of them that I’ve compiled an entire set of Harry Potter areas in London
Usborne Look Inside London
I misplaced depend of what number of Usborne lift-the-flap books we had through the years – and there’s actually nothing to beat these fabulously illustrated kids’s books for youthful readers.
Look Inside London isn’t any exception, paced with details about the town’s key websites – together with Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and the Tower of London – in addition to London’s different well-known sights, together with crimson telephone containers and double-deckers buses, together with black cabs. Great for ages 5+, it’s additionally one thing youthful siblings (and oldsters!) can get pleasure from taking a look at.
The Tower Bridge Cat
Set in one in all London’s most iconic landmarks, The Tower Bridge Cat – the primary of a number of – combines a candy story and beautiful illustrations.
Following title character Bella on the Queen’s birthday, it’s right down to the bridge-dwelling cat to save lots of the day when she realises there’s a bus coming over the opening bridge – even higher, the story is impressed by the true story of a double-decker bus leaping the bridge.
The Royal Rabbits
The first in a collection of tales about Shylo and his Royal Rabbit associates, this story follows the rabbits’ makes an attempt to cease an evil plot to take a photograph of the Queen in her nightwear.
A candy story of how the smallest and shyest rabbit can nonetheless have one thing necessary to say, children can observe alongside because the Royal Rabbits journey to London. The Royal Rabbits is really helpful for ages 7+. You may purchase the three-book assortment.
The Hyde Park Squirrels
Another candy and vibrant collection of books, the Hyde Park Squirrels is about in Victorian occasions, beginning with Luke goes to London, as Lucas Bushtail units off for the town to seek out the sisterm he by no means knew he had.
But the town has its personal risks, as Luke discovers when he arrives. Although there are two separate books, they’re successfully one story so be ready to purchase the second if you wish to discover out what occurs after the cliffhanger!
See Inside London
Another nice lift-the-flap e book from Usborne, it is a nice different – or companion purchase – to Look Inside London.
Also aimed toward children aged 5-7, the main target of See Inside London is taking a journey via time (moderately than geography), displaying London all through its historical past from Roman occasions to the Middle Ages, the Black Death and throughout the Blitz within the Second World War.
This is London
This traditional e book was first revealed in 1959 and when you won’t discover bowler-hatted bankers on their solution to the town nowadays, This is London remains to be a stunning one to personal.
With Miroslav Sasek’s elegant illustrations bringing London to life, you’ll discover lots of the historic buildings and landmarks, in addition to black cabs, the underground, the Horse Guards and different conventional sights as tempting at this time.
Recommended for age 7+, we got a duplicate when my daughter was born and skim it along with her from a youthful age too.
Katie in London
In this magical journey, one of many Trafalgar Square lions involves life and takes Katie and her brother Jack on a tour of the town’s greatest sights.
Aimed at kids aged round 3-6 (so additionally works as another choice for preschoolers), their sudden day trip takes them to Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Big Ben and the London Eye, so Katie in London is right to introduce youthful children to among the metropolis’s highlights earlier than their first go to.
A Walk in London
Following a mom and daughter exploring London, this e book has a particular place in my very own coronary heart as I’ve tried to emulate various of their stops with my very own daughter.
From travelling by crimson double-decker bus to recognizing the lions in Trafalgar Square, watching the Changing of the Guard and searching inside among the metropolis’s iconic sights, it’s a candy solution to plan a day trip and your personal Walk in London
Beatrice and the London Bus
Nine-year-old Beatrice has a dream of being a bus driver – and turning her mannequin Routemaster bus right into a speaking London Bus, no matter her mum thinks.
Then someday, she meets a speaking bus and it looks as if her goals have was actuality… or is it magic in spite of everything? Sweet, humorous and a novel introduction to London, Beatrice and the London Bus is proof that something might occur on this metropolis. Aimed at age 7+.
The Mystery at Big Ben
Part of the Around the World in 80 Mysteries assortment, which sees Christina and Grant visiting well-known locations in 80 nations, this London-based story packs in among the metropolis’s historical past and tradition alongside the story.
Each e book has a map to assist children study extra of the world’s geography, as they observe Grant, his sister and their two new associates as they attempt to resolve the Mystery at Big Ben, taking them from the London Eye alongside the Thames and right into a dungeon. Aimed at age 8+.
Books about London for teenagers and tweens
Once your children are past image books and mild adventures, there are tales galore set in London, together with these nice choices for youthful tweens proper as much as older teenagers (and their mother and father!)
Gruesome Guides: London
Horrible Histories addicts will likely be delighted to find that there’s a London e book within the collection – Gruesome Guides: London – with all of the fascinating and foul, ugly, gory and downright bizarre info you’d count on.
There’s loads of horribly hilarious moments in London’s historical past to get pleasure from too as you cowl all the pieces from plague and pestilence to fireside: uncover what triggered the Great Stink, peer into spooky St Paul’s and courageous the terrifying Tower alongside the best way.
The London Eye Mystery
An unusual day trip in London turns right into a thriller, after Ted and Kat’s cousin Salim vanishes – having watched him board the London Eye, his pod returns with out him.
With a path of clues throughout London, the pair should put their sibling rivalry apart and mix their totally different approaches to trace Salim down – Ted is on the autism spectrum, and it’s his distinctive strategy and perspective which actually units The London Eye Mystery aside. Ideal for Sept. 11-year-olds.
The Ruby within the Smoke
Fans of Philip Pullman will love this story of Sally Lockhart, set partly in Victorian London the place the 16-year-old braves the town’s underworld to trace down her father’s killer.
Travelling by way of India and China, the journey is as filled with element and peril as you’d count on; The Ruby within the Smoke is assured to maintain older tweens and youthful teenagers enthralled.
My identify is Victoria
Written by Lucy Worsley, chief curator at Historic Royal Palaces (which incorporates Kensington Palace, childhood dwelling of Queen Victoria), this story is ideal for teenagers who love historical past and tales of royal London.
Following Miss V Conroy, who is distributed by her father to turn into the companion to Princess Victoria at Kensington Palace, she is torn between her loyalty to him and the principles he has devised for the younger roytal, and her new friendship with the princess, locked away from the world by these very guidelines. My Name is Victoria is right for age 9+.
Rivers of London
Imagine Harry Potter grew up and joined the police… That’s the intriguing place to begin for Rivers of London, a novel following probationary constable Peter Grant, the primary of a collection set in London that’s ideally suited for teenagers.
After attempting to take a witness assertion from a ghost, he finds himself aiding DCI Thomas Nightingale to research crimes involving magic or the uncanny – which suggests assembly the town’s gods and goddesses, and getting into the world of myths and legends as he does.
Neverwhere
While Neil Gaiman went on to write down a string of better-known books, teenagers will love his first novel Neverwhere simply as a lot – with the added bonus that it’s set in London. Or London of kinds.
When a younger businessman stops to assist an injured woman, he discovers one other metropolis of darkness, of monsters – but additionally of angels – in a subterranean labyrinth. And provided that he may also help save this underworld kingdom would possibly he return to his former life within the London Above.
London guidebooks for teenagers
There are London guides galore, however in the event you’re in search of kid-friendly choices, these London guidebooks for youngsters are an effective way to get them concerned in planning.
Check out Gruesome Guides: London , See Inside London and Look Inside London for extra entertaining however informational journey guides to London for teenagers
Paddington’s Guide to London
Perfect for youthful readers, who higher to introduce you to London than the bear who made his dwelling right here.
From the station the place it began to some key landmarks (with a number of detours), there are many enjoyable tales among the many data in Paddington’s Guide to London too.
London Planet: City Trails London
The City Trails collection from Lonely Planet Kids are one in all my favorite guidebooks for youngsters – we’ve used them in cities together with Rome, and City Trails London is simply as filled with quirky info and sights.
Venturing away from the traditional vacationer path, you’ll be able to uncover the weirdest merchandise ever left on a bus in addition to tales about headline-making parrots, to not point out loads of sudden corners to find throughout your go to to London. Even native Londoners can study lots! Aimed at ages 8+
Lonely Planet Kids Pop-up London
With six iconic landmarks together with Buckingham Palace, The Shard, the Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, St Paul’s Cathedral and the London Underground, it’s pocket-sized, really easy to hold round as you see them in individual too.
I-spy London
There are greater than 130 London sights to seek out within the pocket-sized i-spy London, with loads of info to find as you learn and discover.
Fun to flick via earlier than you journey, it’s an effective way to cease cries of ‘I’m Bored’ as you wander round London, and there are many simple wins – together with black taxis and doubledecker buses – for youthful children to seek out as effectively.
Check out Things to Spot in London sticker e book as one other different
Mission London: A scavenger hunt journey
A mixture of guidebook and journey problem, Mission London ensures your children will likely be retaining their eyes open all through the journey as they attempt to earn sufficient factors to turn into a particular agent.
There are challenges which is able to apply to ever go to, from attempting conventional meals to recognizing key landmarks, in addition to others which you’ll be able to tailor to your personal journey, in the event you’re visiting explicit museums or trying out websites like Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London.
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